HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-02-26, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009. PAGE 17.
When it comes to planning a
wedding, finances are first and
foremost on the minds of many
couples. As the costs associated with
weddings continue to rise, the need
for a budget only grows more
apparent.
But how can a couple establish and
stick to a budget? Doing so depends
on each individual couple, how much
they can spend and what they’re
willing to sacrifice for their big day.
Wedding budgets can vary greatly
depending on the couple and the type
of wedding they desire. A wedding
budget should be established as far in
advance as possible.
When setting the budget, it’s best
to determine exactly how much you
can spend, and then set the budget
lower than that.
For example, if the most you can
afford is $25,000, set your budget at
$22,000. This will allow you some
wiggle room when the inevitable
happens and you’re forced to go over
budget.
MONITOR YOUR
SPENDING
Once a budget has been
determined, a good way for couples
to adhere to that budget is to
establish a separate wedding
spending account. This account
should be separate from personal
accounts, and all wedding expenses
should be drawn solely from this
wedding account. This is a good way
to monitor how much you’re
spending, and your monthly
statement will provide an itemized
list of how much is being deposited
and spent.
Regardless of how well you’ve
planned the wedding, you’re going to
end up spending more than your
initial budget allowed. This happens
for a number of reasons, ranging
from overtime fees at the reception to
tipping the vendors to larger guest
lists than you might have originally
intended.
Prepare for the inevitable
overspending by cutting back on
other expenses leading up to the big
day. Rather than going out to dinner
on weekends, make a homecooked
meal to save some money. Instead of
costly trips to a nightclub, invite
friends over for the night.
You’ll be surprised how much
these subtle lifestyle changes can
save you.
STICK TO YOUR GUNS
While you should be prepared to
spend more, that extra spending
should be saved for things such as
tipping the staff and possibly paying
more for an additional guest or two.
Where couples should be budget-
cautious is when vendors try to up-
sell services.
For example, while a top-shelf bar
might be a nice gesture, it can be
considerably more expensive than
just offering beer at your reception,
and letting your guests pay for liquor.
If a vendor tries to up-sell, couples
should not hold that against the
vendor. After all, that is the vendor’s
job. Instead, prioritize what you want
before you go visit any vendors.
You’re much more likely to be happy
with your selections.
Treat your guests to an inviting messageThere are infinite opportunities foruniqueness with wedding
invitations, which is why selecting
the right invitation is often one of the
most confusing aspects of planning a
wedding.
Invitations are usually your first
line of communication regarding the
upcoming celebration, and they
typically set the tone of the affair
and what guests should expect.
Wedding etiquette experts also say
that gift-giving is subject to
influence by the type of invitation
received. Guests also tend to
determine what they will wear to the
wedding depending upon the
invitation.
All of these perceptions about the
wedding are made even before
guests read the first line of sentiment
on the invitation itself. With so much
inferred meaning placed on
invitations, it’s no wonder you maybe nervous about choosing and
sending out invitations. Here are
some pointers so you’ll make the
right decisions.
There are many personalization
options at your disposal with
wedding invitations. You’ll be able
to choose the texture, colour and
shape of the paper, as well as the
font and ink colour in many cases.
These selections can be combined
with other embellishments, such as
envelope linings, extra layers of
paper, vellum accents, ribbons, and
calligraphy styles.
You may also be able to select a
monogram or artwork to further
embellish the invitation.
If your wedding will be a formal
affair, choose a classic style
invitation that will reflect the
formalness of the affair. If your
wedding will be casual, choose adesign and font that expresses that
feeling.
Here are some other tips to
consider:
* Wait until you have definite
times and locations for the ceremony
and reception before submitting any
wording to the invitation company.
* Type out the wording you prefer
with a word-processing program on
your computer. Run a spell-check
and print it out and read it over
several times. This will cut down on
the chances for error once the
wording is sent for printing.
* To know how many invitations
to order, take the forecasted number
of guests and divide that number by
two. Then add 25 to 30 additional
invitations for any single guests you
may be inviting as well as to have
extras on hand in case you make a
mistake addressing the invitation. So if you are inviting 150 people
(assuming most will come as
couples), order 100 invitations.
* Many people opt to print out
addresses on the invitation envelope
themselves. While home printers
and software packages have
certainly advanced, it may be
difficult to match the font and style
of your invitation. Furthermore,
while hand-addressing invitations is
more time-consuming, it adds a
personalized touch and shows you
care about those invited.
* Make sure you bring an
invitation to the post office to be
weighed so you can determine how
much postage you will need. Mail
them four to six weeks before the
wedding to allow for response time.
It’s customary to enclose a response
card with postage already applied so
guests can simply drop their RSVPin the mail.
The right stuff
Be mindful of what you hope to offer guests when
establishing your wedding budget. (MS photo)
132 Main St. W., Listowel 519-291-3661
Visit our gift area for an excellent selection of attendant gifts.
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earl_becky@hotmail.com
You’re always
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❦Balloons to complement
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Budgeting tips for bridal couples